You may remember Arrid Extra Dry. It was a great name for a deodorant.
But when it comes to Israel we want as much rain as possible in the winter so that our crops will grow and the land will flourish.
Moshe explained to Bnei Yisrael (Devarim 11:10-11): “The land which you are arriving to inherit is not like the land of Egypt, from which you departed, where you planted your seed and watered it on foot like a vegetable garden. The land where you are crossing to inherit is a land of mountains and plains – by the rains of the skies will you drink water.”
The verses that follow are familiar to us from the Shema (Devarim 11:14-15): “Then I shall provide rain in your land in its proper time, the early and the late rains, that you may gather your grain, your wine and your oil. I shall provide grass in your field for your cattle and you will eat and drink and be satisfied.”
The alternative, if we don’t observe the mitzvot, is found in verse 17: “…G-d will restrain the heaven so there will be no rain, and the ground will not yield its produce; and you will be swiftly banished from the goodly land that G-d gives you.”
Now that we are back in Israel, we need to follow the commandments, pray for rain during the required times, support Israeli agriculture, and keep the land properly irrigated.
We can leave arid for the deodorant companies.
